Production of a shell-like formed consumable item from a fat-containing mass

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for the production of a shell-like formed consumable item from a fatty mass, more particularly a fatty mass containing cocoa or chocolate, wherein a cell is initially filled with the fatty mass in flowable temperate state in a dosed manner in a mold, whereupon a cooling body with a temperature below melting temperature of the tempered fatty mass is dipped into the liquid fatty mass so that the flowable fatty mass can be distributed in the intermediate space defined by the cell and the cooling body. The cooling body is maintained in dipped position inside the fatty mass for a given space of time until the fatty mass located in the intermediate space hardens. According to the invention, the flowable tempered fatty mass is vibrated for a given space of time after filling the cell and before dipping the cooling body.

[0001] The invention relates to a procedure and a device for manufacturing a shell-shaped consumable out of a fat-containing substance, in particular a cocoa-containing or chocolate-like fat-containing substance, according to the preamble to claims 1 and 22.

[0002] Procedures and devices for manufacturing shell-shaped chocolate articles are known in the art. For example, EP 0 589 820 B1 discloses a procedure and device for manufacturing outer shells out of fat-containing substances similar to chocolate, in particular for chocolate articles. In this case, an alveolus (a mold cavity) is filled with heated substance similar to chocolate, which solidifies from the alveolus in during crystallization to form the outer shape of the shell, wherein the alveolus has a lower temperature than the heated substance. Right after the alveolus has been filled with the substance, a cooling element having a temperature of under 0° C. is lowered into the substance, and kept in a fully submerged position in the substance for a predetermined period of time, thereby establishing a predetermined shell volume between the cooling element and alveolus.

[0003] However, this procedure cannot guarantee that the fat-containing substance filled into the alveolus will be devoid of air pockets. Such air pockets can be present in larger or smaller and more or less uniformly distributed air bubbles in the melted fatty substance in the case of a heated chocolate substance. For example, they can already be present in the heated chocolate substance inside the storage container before filled into the alveolus, or be formed by the ambient air while filling the alveolus with the chocolate substance.

[0004] In addition, depending on the consistency of the fat-containing substance to be processed, the substance filled into the alveolus might at times not be uniformly distributed in the alveolus.

[0005] Both air pockets in the fat-containing substance and a non-uniform distribution of the substance in the alveolus can impair the quality of the shell-shaped consumable formed after submerging the cooling element into the liquid substance, e.g., resulting in irregular shell thickness or holes in the shell, non-uniform shell edge, etc.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a procedure and corresponding device for manufacturing a shell-shaped consumable out of a fat-containing substance, in particular a cocoa-containing or chocolate-like fatty substance, in which the shortcomings mentioned at the outset are largely avoided.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention in the initially described procedure known in the art by vibrating the free-flowing, heated fatty substance for a specific period of vibration after filling the alveolus and before submerging the cooling element.

[0008] In terms of the device, this object is achieved by providing a device known in the art with a vibrating means, with which the fat-containing substance can be made to vibrate.

[0009] The procedure according to the invention yields as uniform a distribution of the substance in the alveolus as possible even before the cooling element is submerged, i.e., before the actual “cold-stamping” step. In addition, the substance is at least largely evacuated prior to the actual crystallization and molding step.

[0010] The free-flowing, heated fatty substance is preferably made to vibrate in the alveoli by vibrating the mold, which then imparts its vibration completely to the substance contained therein. As an alternative or by way of addition, the free-flowing, heated fatty substance can also be made to vibrate in the alveoli by vibrating the air over the alveoli, which then conveys the vibration to the substance in the alveolus via the air.

[0011] Depending on the consistency of the substance to be processed, it may be advantageous to have vibration take place during the period of vibration at a frequency that progresses from a minimum frequency at the start of the vibration period to a maximum frequency at the end of the vibration period, or have vibration take place during the period of vibration at a frequency that progresses from a maximum frequency at the start of the vibration period to a minimum frequency at the end of the vibration period. On the other hand, it can also be advantageous to have vibration take place during the period of vibration independently thereof at an amplitude that progresses from a maximum amplitude at the start of the vibration period to a minimum amplitude at the end of the vibration period, or have vibration take place during the period of vibration at an amplitude that progresses from a minimum amplitude at the start of the vibration period to a maximum amplitude at the end of the vibration period.

[0012] These measures make it possible to take into account the type of air pockets, e.g., large or small, air bubbles present mainly on the floor of the mold or the surface of the substance, which enables a more efficient smoothing out of the substance and its more efficient evacuation.

[0013] In another possible variant of the procedure according to the invention, the exciting vibration frequency has roughly the same value as a resonance frequency of the fluid substance in the alveolus, wherein the exciting vibration frequency preferably passes through several frequency ranges in which a resonance frequency of the fluid substance in the alveolus lies. It is best to allow the exciting vibration frequency to remain at least at one of the resonance frequencies of the fluid substance during its frequency progression for a period measuring a fraction of the overall vibration period.

[0014] As an alternative or by way of addition, the exciting vibration frequency can have roughly the same value as a resonance frequency of the alveolus, wherein the exciting vibration frequency can here as well in particular be made to pass through several frequency ranges, in which a resonance frequency of the alveolus lies. During its progression through the frequencies, the exciting vibration frequency is here also best allowed to stay at least at one of the resonance frequencies of the alveolus for a duration representing a fraction of the overall vibration period.

[0015] Working with resonance frequencies (natural frequencies) of the mold containing the fluid substance and/or the alveolus or alveoli enables a considerable infusion of mechanical oscillation energy into the fluid substance to be processed, wherein various resonance frequencies of the substance and/or the alveolus can be used in a targeted fashion to “drive out” air blisters or air bubbles of varying size. In particular, various frequencies, in particular resonance frequencies, can be simultaneously used for excitation purposes, wherein the one frequency is introduced into the substance via the air, and the other frequency via the alveolus.

[0016] In another preferred variant, the alveolus and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry. After the alveolus has been filled and before the cooling element is submerged, each alveolus and the heated, free-flowing fatty substance therein can be made to rotate around the axis of symmetry for a specific period of rotation.

[0017] Since the alveolus is filled only slightly with fluid substance before the cooling element is submerged, the free-flowing substance forms a paraboloidal surface during exposure to the centrifugal and gravitational forces inside the alveolus, which is considerably larger than the flat surface of the substance without rotation. This facilitates the evacuation of the fluid substance, primarily owing to the fact that the air bubbles only still have a distinctly shorter path to the surface on the one hand, and that a stronger field of force prevails inside the paraboloidally arranged fluid substance on the other hand, so that the air bubbles are driven out of the substance much faster than without rotation along the lines of force that are curved inside the substance and run perpendicular to the surface of the substance at a constant viscosity of the substance. Use is here made of the fact that the lines of force of the substance forces (gravitational force+centrifugal force) are curved at all locations of the surface perpendicular tot eh surface and inside the fluid substance, but still run approximately perpendicular to the surface over wide areas in the fluid substance after the paraboloidal equilibrium surface caused by the rotation and gravitation has been reached. At the same time and also advantageously, however, the substance is already pre-distributed to approximate the desired shell form while preparing for the subsequent cold-stamping and crystallization step. This is expedient and desired, since, during the expulsion process and formation of the fluid substance during the actual cold-stamping step, the greater part of the substance contained in the mold only has to traverse shorter paths while flowing into the final mold, which as a whole results in an improved “uniform treatment” of all parts of the substance during cooling, flowing and crystallizing.

[0018] In another variant, the alveolus and cooling element are also each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and, after the alveolus has been filled and before the cooling element is submerged, a stream of air rotationally symmetric relative to the axis of symmetry shared by the alveolus and cooling element is injected into the alveolus via the free-flowing, heated fatty substance contained therein over a specific injection period. Similarly to rotation, this increases the surface, and yields a distribution of the fluid substance approximating the final shell shape, with similar advantages.

[0019] The air enveloping the cooling element in the procedure is best continuously dehumidified to prevent the condensation of water vapor on the cooling element. The air enveloping the cooling element in the procedure can additionally be continuously cooled.

[0020] The air used for rotationally symmetric injection into the alveolus preferably has the same temperature as the fluid, heated substance in the alveolus. This prevents the surface of the fluid substance from cooling, and crystallization from setting in prematurely before the cooling element is submerged. This also facilitates a “uniform treatment” of all areas of the fluid substance during the cold-stamping step, and hence more uniform products.

[0021] The air used in the alveolus for rotationally symmetric insertion is also best continuously dehumidified to minimize the penetration of water into the fluid substance.

[0022] It is particularly advantageous for the dew point of the air to always be kept under the surface temperature of the cooling element. As a result, the cooling element always remains dry, and retains its surface that defines the inner shell surface, thereby preventing adulteration of the inner shell surface. Hygiene is also improved, since bacterial growth is inhibited on a cool and dry surface.

[0023] The surface of the cooling element is ideally kept at a temperature of less than −10° C.

[0024] In a particularly preferred variant of the device according to the invention, the vibrating means is suitably coupled with the alveolus in such a way that the vibrations can be conveyed to the mold (structure-borne noise principle).

[0025] In another preferred variant, the vibrating means is suitably coupled with the air over the alveolus in such a way that the vibrations can be conveyed to the air (airborne sound principle).

[0026] The vibrating means is best operated at a variable frequency and/or variable amplitude.

[0027] In another preferred variant, the mold and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and the alveolus can be rotated around the axis of symmetry.

[0028] In another preferred variant, the alveolus and cooling element are also each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, with a pressure source being provided that can inject a stream of air rotationally symmetric relative to the axis of symmetry shared by the alveolus and cooling element into the alveolus, wherein the device best has an air dehumidifier and/or air heater.

[0029] It is particularly advantageous for the cooling element to have a thermal conductivity of over 200 W/mK. This enables a rapid cooling of the fat-containing substance with especially fine crystals.

[0030] Additional advantages, features and possible applications of the invention are described in the following description of an embodiment based on the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0031]FIG. 1 shows a flowchart for the procedure according to the invention, providing a diagrammatic view of the device according to the invention, and

[0032]FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C show of examples of several shakers or vibrators in diagrammatic form.

[0033]FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the essential elements or procedural steps for a cold-stamping system according to the invention for manufacturing shells or sleeves out of a fat-containing chocolate substance. The system consists of a heating station 1, a metering station 2, a shaking station 3 and a cold-stamping station 4. In addition, it contains a transporting device 5 for transporting molds to be filled with fluid chocolate substance (not shown), in which numerous alveoli (concave recesses) are formed.

[0034] The fat-containing chocolate substance is heated in a temperature range of approx. 28 to 34° C. at the heating station 1. Stable triglyceride crystals of cocoa butter lie within this temperature range. They are used as crystal nuclei during the subsequent cooling and solidification of the chocolate substance. The heated chocolate substance is routed in metered quantities via the metering station 2 to the molds to be filled, which were transported in by the transporting device 5.

[0035] The molds whose alveoli have been filled with fluid chocolate substance are then transported on by the transporting device 5 to the shaking station 3, in which the alveoli or molds filled with the chocolate substance are vibrated for a specific time to bring about a uniform distribution of the still fluid chocolate substance in the alveoli and evacuate the fluid chocolate substance. As soon as the shaking or vibrating step has been completed at the shaking station 3, the alveoli filled with the still fluid chocolate substance are transported on by the transporting device 5 to the cold-stamping station 4.

[0036] At the cold-stamping station 4, an intensely cooled stamp made out of a readily thermally conductive material is submerged in the alveoli filled with fluid chocolate substance at a temperature of below −10°, into the still fluid chocolate substance containing triglyceride crystal nuclei, which then becomes distributed in the shell-shaped mold defined by the alveolus and cold stamp submerged into the alveolus, and shortly thereafter solidifies into the desired chocolate sleeve, whereupon the stamp is again lifted, and the solidified chocolate shells are removed from the alveoli.

[0037]FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C show examples of several devices that can be used at the shaking station 3 to vibrate the alveoli of a mold filled with metered quantities of fluid chocolate substance. The actual shaker or vibrator 7, 8, 9 is rigidly connected with the support 6 on which the molds to be vibrated with the alveoli are deposited in these variants. However, the shaker or vibrator 7, 8, 9 can be secured to any desired location of a rigid frame of the shaking station 3. Examples of shakers or vibrators include a magnetic vibrator 7 (FIG. 2A), an unbalanced mass shaker 8 (FIG. 2B) or a piston shaker 9 (FIG. 2C). 

1. A procedure for manufacturing a shell-shaped consumable out of a fatty substance, in particular a cocoa-containing or chocolate-like fatty substance, which involves the following steps: filling a alveolus of a mold defining the outer surface of the shell-shaped consumable with metered quantities of the fatty substance in a free-flowing, heated state, wherein the temperature of the mold lies under the temperature of the heated fatty substance; submerging a cooling element defining the inner surface of the shell-shaped consumable into the free-flowing, heated fatty substance in the alveolus, wherein the temperature of the cooling element lies below the melting point of the heated fatty substance, so that the still free-flowing fatty substance becomes distributed in the space between the alveolus and cooling element; holding the cooling element in its position submerged in the fatty substance over a specific period, until the fatty substance in the space has solidified, characterized in that the free-flowing, heated fatty substance is made to vibrate for a specific vibration period after the alveolus has been filled and before the cooling element is submerged.
 2. The procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration of the free-flowing, heated fatty substance in the alveoli of the mold is generated by vibrating the mold.
 3. The procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration of the free-flowing, heated fatty substance in the alveoli of the mold is generated by vibrating the air over the alveolus.
 4. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that vibration takes place during the period of vibration at a frequency that progresses from a minimum frequency at the start of the vibration period to a maximum frequency at the end of the vibration period.
 5. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that vibration takes place during the period of vibration at a frequency that progresses from a maximum frequency at the start of the vibration period to a minimum frequency at the end of the vibration period.
 6. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that vibration takes place during the period of vibration at an amplitude that progresses from a maximum amplitude at the start of the vibration period to a minimum amplitude at the end of the vibration period.
 7. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that vibration takes place during the period of vibration at an amplitude that progresses from a minimum amplitude at the start of the vibration period to a maximum amplitude at the end of the vibration period.
 8. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency has roughly the same value as a resonance frequency of the fluid substance in the alveolus.
 9. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency passes through several frequency ranges, in which a resonance frequency of the fluid substance in the alveolus lies.
 10. The procedure according to claim 9, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency remains at least at one of the resonance frequencies of the fluid substance during its frequency progression for a period measuring a fraction of the overall vibration period.
 11. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency has roughly the same value as a resonance frequency of the alveolus.
 12. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency passes through several frequency ranges, in which a resonance frequency of the alveolus lies.
 13. The procedure according to claim 12, characterized in that the exciting vibration frequency remains at least at one of the resonance frequencies of the alveolus during its frequency progression for a period measuring a fraction of the overall vibration period.
 14. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the alveolus and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and that, after the alveolus has been filled and before the cooling element is submerged, each alveolus and the free-flowing, heated fatty substance therein can be made to rotate around the axis of symmetry for a specific period of rotation.
 15. The procedure according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the alveolus and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and, after the alveolus has been filled and before the cooling element is submerged, a stream of air rotationally symmetric relative to the axis of symmetry shared by the alveolus and cooling element is injected into the alveolus via the free-flowing, heated fatty substance contained therein over a specific injection period.
 16. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air enveloping the cooling element in the procedure is continuously dehumidified.
 17. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air enveloping the cooling element in the procedure is continuously cooled.
 18. The procedure according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the air used for rotationally symmetric injection into the alveolus has roughly the same temperature as the fluid, heated substance in the alveolus.
 19. The procedure according to one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the air used for rotationally symmetric injection into the alveolus is continuously dehumidified.
 20. The procedure according to one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the dew point of the air is kept under the surface temperature of the cooling element.
 21. The procedure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the cooling element is kept at a temperature of less than −10° C.
 22. A device for manufacturing a shell-shaped consumable out of a fatty substance, in particular a cocoa-containing or chocolate-like fatty substance, wherein the device consists of the following means: an alveolus, whose inner surface determines the outer surface of the shell-shaped consumable to be fabricated; a metering device for filling the alveolus with the fatty substance in a free-flowing, heated state; a cooling element that can be submerged in the alveolus, whose outer surface determines the inner surface of the shell-shaped consumable to be fabricated; submerging means for submerging the cooling element into the free-flowing, heated fatty substance in the alveolus, characterized by a vibrating means with which the fatty substance can be made to vibrate.
 23. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that the vibrating means is suitably coupled with the alveolus in such a way that the vibrations can be conveyed to alveolus.
 24. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that the vibrating means is suitably coupled with the air over the alveolus in such a way that the vibrations can be conveyed to the air.
 25. The device according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the vibrating means can be operated at a variable frequency.
 26. The device according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the vibrating means can be operated at a variable amplitude.
 27. The device according to one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that the alveolus and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and that the alveolus can be rotated around the axis of symmetry.
 28. The device according to claim 27, characterized in that the rotationally symmetric alveolus can be rotated by a driven synchronous belt that abuts it.
 29. The device according to one of claims 22 to 28, characterized in that the alveolus and cooling element are each rotationally symmetric along a shared axis of symmetry, and that a pressure source is provided that can inject a stream of air rotationally symmetric relative to the axis of symmetry shared by the alveolus and cooling element into the alveolus.
 30. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an air dehumidifier.
 31. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an air heater for the rotationally symmetric air stream.
 32. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling element has a thermal conductivity of more than 200 W/mK. 